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It’s Sunday morning and Christmas is over! I’m just sitting here thinking about the past few days! I’m currently in FL visiting my Mom’s aunt and cousin! We haven’t seem my Aunt since I was 5 and I don’t ever remember meeting my 2nd cousin.. although there has been talk she was at my christening! Anyway, sometimes I think that it would be great if there were kids in the family and more people my age. But then I think the grass isn’t always greener on the other side.. and family is family. You can’t change them and you must love them! And love them I do! My Aunt turned 88 this year. That would make her birthday date May ?, 1922. 1922…. that seems like a lifetime ago… and a lifetime ago it is! Her name is June. And she is one of the most fascinating people I have come across! She has taught elementary school for over 35 years, has written a book, has lived in Colombia, has lived through 5 wars and 14 presidents, and continues to lead a healthy full life filled with many friends and family (her Christmas card stack is quadruple mine)! June is truly an amazing women! A women who comes with lots of collections! As we were sitting there eating baked cod on Christmas Eve, I couldn’t help but notice the napkin rings. Mine was a beautiful oval sterling sliver napkin ring with the initials J.F. I just assumed the other 6 matched and they must have been a gift to her at some point.. as those where her initials. I mentioned how fun they were which lead into a 30 minutes lesson in napkin rings. See.. Aunt June collects them! She has silver napkin rings from around the world with many different initials engraved on them. Whenever she was at a tag sale, or flea market and saw one she would pick it up regardless on the initials. After many years of always being on the go… her collection is outstanding!

This silver ring was from December 25, 1882. That would make it 128 years old!

SO. MUCH. FUN.

Aunt June also collects butter pads. I have NO IDEA what a butter pad was. A butter pad is simply a very small dish that is placed at each place setting with a few pads of butter! The following was only a sampling of her amazing collection! (the phone is only there for comparison in size)

The pad on the right, Aunt June picked up for $5 at some tag sale, and it is now worth over $100!

Oh. And how do you cut the butter so nicely and uniform you ask?!?! With a butter slicer of course! I am now on a hunt to find one of my own!

I think I may start a collection of my own!

Wherever you are today and whom ever you are with… have a blessed and happy time!

On to cookies! I thought for sure I’d be sick and tired of cookies by now. However, I kind of missed the sweet treat after a meal. I needed to come up with a ‘healthy’ cookie recipe. After reading through many different applesauce cookie recipes.. this is what I came up with!

My Kind of Applesauce Cookies

1 cup butter

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 cups applesauce

4 cups whole wheat flour – Could leave some out for a more moist cookie!

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon – I always throw in some extra!

1 tsp nutmeg

1 cup craisins – Could use raisins too!

1 cup chocolate chip – Could use white chocolate chip!

There are many other things you could add it too! Different types of nuts, different kinds of chocolate, different fruit! This cookie could really turn into something completely different!

EASY as 1-2-3-4-5!

Mix sugar, applesauce, butter. Blend.

Mix all dry ingredients in another bowl.

Slowly add in to wet mixture.

Stir in your selections. Mine was craisins and chocolate chips!

Bake 350º for 10 – 12 minutes.

Scooped nicely on the tray.. via the Pampered Chef medium scoop!

The cookies came out on the high side! But they were still delicious!

A little of dusting of powder sugar to resemble snow! I think it might be the only way I see some this winter!

I haven’t done the calorie count on these bad boys! But I can’t imagine it to be outrageous!

In the New Year, I’m going to attempt to include the calorie count as much as possible!

At the moment, I currently feel like I’m floating, in the middle, not going up and not going down! Not gaining weight, but certainly not losing weight either! I have really upped the cardio classes this past weekend, however, I have also really upped the eating! I bumped into a friend last night at the gym and we ended up chit-chatting for a bit. We were talking about eating healthier and exercising and then she said, “Food is really 80% of it all”. Now, I knew this! I have done so much research in the last year, I even hung out with Jillian Michaels for a few days (well… me and 2,000 others!), but sometimes I just need to refocus. And yes those 4 pieces of chocolate that snuck into my mouth after lunch yesterday count. And yes, I could easily just run a few more miles. But if I say that all the time, I might be running for days!

So with that being said, my goal for the day is to watch all the sneaky chocolate that somehow ends up in my mouth and perhaps replace the chocolate with a ‘healthy’ cookie!

Oh. And drink more H2O! Don’t forget the H2O :0)

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I have to admit.. I’m not really the holiday type of girl! Yes. I love all the beautiful colors this time of the year, between colorful gift wrap and all the christmas decorations.. most of the time there isn’t an inch untouched. I love getting together with friends. I love cookie baking marathons. I love hanging with the family! I don’t love the Christmas debt, the long lines, the stubbornness of some to get the ‘perfect’ gift, the rudeness people posses (which happens to come out bright and clear during the holidays!) and the Christmas drinking and eating. I’m one who lacks self-control. If there is something in front of me. I WILL be eating it! Therefore, I like to try to control my enviroment, however that proves to be very difficult this time of year! I also don’t like the frenzy and the drive to have everything done by the deadline… DECEMBER 25th. We have enough deadlines in our lives.. why create one more? What about the rest of the year? I think we have lost the true meaning of Christmas. With that being stated.. I will be climbing down from the high horse and getting back to reality. When gets done by the 25th.. gets done! What doesn’t get done.. will wait! Ahh. Feels good to write that loud and clear!

Just a few photos from the last few days!

Planning for the 2011 Trade Shows… now where, o where will we end up? NY, VA, AZ, TN.. LONDON… Who knows?!?!

Remi and Shay! ❤ This past weekend Remi and I headed down to NJ to visit Dan, Sam and Shay! And yes.. they are patiently waiting for a treat!

Just like the old days.. of red wine on Wednesday.. except it was white wine on Saturday and a husband and 2 dogs added to the mix 🙂

I finally cleaned my car out and found all these water bottles!

A) I drink a lot of water during the week B) They have been there for months C) Both A and B D) Regardless of where the water bottles are.. I MUST start drinking more!

I’m going with a D on this one!

My new motto for the year 2011! Well I’m borrowing it! (FYI- Keep Calm and Carry On was a poster produced by the British government in 1939 during the beginning of World War II, intended to raise the morale of the British public under the threat of impending invasion. It was little known and never used. The poster was rediscovered in 2000 and has been re-issued by a number of private sector companies, and used as the decorative theme for a range of other products. site)

I love this poster! Just hung it up last night, but every time I walk by I feel a calm sense come over me. Call me crazy!

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pre·sent

–verb (used with object)

1. to furnish or endow with a gift or the like, esp. by formal act: to present someone with a gold watch.

2. to bring, offer, or give, often in a formal or ceremonious way: to present one’s card.

3. afford or furnish (an opportunity, possibility, etc.).

4. to hand over or submit, as a bill or a check, for payment: The waiter presented our bill for lunch.

5. to introduce (a person) to another, esp. in a formal manner: Mrs. Smith, may I present Mr. Jones?

6. to bring before or introduce to the public: to present a new play.

7. to come to show (oneself) before a person, in or at a place,etc.

8. to show or exhibit: This theater will present films on a larger screen.

9. to bring forth or render for or before another or others;offer for consideration: to present an alternative plan.

10. to set forth in words; frame or articulate: to present arguments.

11. to represent, impersonate, or act, as on the stage.

12. to direct, point, or turn (something) to something or someone: He presented his back to the audience.

13. to level or aim (a weapon, esp. a firearm).

14. Law . a. to bring against, as a formal charge against a person. b. to bring formally to the notice of the proper authority,as an offense.

15. British Ecclesiastical . to offer or recommend (a member of the clergy) to the bishop for institution to a benefice.

–noun pres·ent

16. a thing presented as a gift; gift: Christmas presents.

(thanks dictionary.com)

Who knew there were 16 different meanings of the noun present! For this post, I’m going with #16 all the way!!

This is the time of year when I wish my bank account had a few extra 0’s on the end. I would LOVE to give presents to everyone I know. Including and not limiting to, the guy who brings my mail, the awesome girl who cuts my hair, the people who so nicely take care of Remi, the women who kicks my ass in Knockout, the great people who help me deal with my bank account, all my kids who I have watched over the years, friends all over the country… or.. rather world… and not to forget my family! My list kind of gets out of control this time of year! I just want to give, give, give!

Now back to reality! So I’ve decided that making presents might come in handy this year! So far I have constructed photo frames, created calendar’s on shutterfly, attempted to knit a few presents (which in the end, was an epic fail) and baked my little heart out this weekend!

A little preview to the HUGE cookie post that is coming 🙂

Anyway, I’m planning on small candles, gift cards and lots of tins of cookies!! I don’t like to take away the true meaning of Christmas. But it is always nice to receive that extra little present during the holidays! Even if it may be a tin of cookies!

How do you appreciate all the ‘extra’ people in your daily life during the holidays??

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1st of all… THANK YOU to those who keep clicking on the site hoping there is a new post! Today is the day! The seconds, minutes and hours just slip by so quickly this time of year! So Thank You 🙂

So the last time I check my calendar is was around November 22nd. I checked today and it’s already December 8th! (And again checked my calendar today and it’s the 10th! and today it reads Dec 13th!) That means Christmas is right around the corner. Days are running out for ordering things online. Luckily all of my online orders are DONE. Including the 3rd annual Calendar. Which I’m wayyyy to excited about! So when can you start handing out presents?!?!?!

So the other night I was faced with a problem. I had a butternut squash hanging around the kitchen. This said butternut squash has been in my house way to long. It still looked and smell pretty healthy so it was time to cook him up! (EEk. That sounds bad!) Anyway, what do with a butternut squash?!?!? Well I had a can of coconut milk. Hmmm? And a few carrots, an onion and curry powder.. what else to make then….

Coconut Curry Butternut Squash Soup

butternut squash – halved and seeded

one can coconut soup

onion – chopped

garlic – chopped

S&P

coconut milk

Bake Squash until soft.

Meanwhile, saute onion and garlic in a bit of olive oil!

Boil carrots until soft! I blended the carrots with 2 cups water. Can add more water for a more liquid soup!

When the onions are nicely brown add in soft squash, blended carrots and coconut milk! Add in curry and S&P to taste!

Let cook for a while! Then in batches blend.

After reviewing this recipe, I think you could probably add the soft carrots and water to the batch and blend it ALL only once! Hmmmm… might need to test this out 🙂

Return to pot for another few minutes!

And then enjoy!

This was an unplanned meal then turned out great! Look around you kitchen.. see what you have and go to town 🙂

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Hello blog world! Sorry I have been MIA for over a week now! Thanksgiving came and went. Photos were taken. Black Friday came and went. Yes. My cousin and I went out around 7am. Which was the afternoon for some other shoppers…LOL. Then the weekend was here, and my friend Jo was visiting from NYC. More photos were taken. I then dealt with some dog sickness which landed me and my Remi in the vet’s office. So now it’s Saturday night and an entire week went by unblogged and no photos were actually uploaded. It’s ok though. The important things I will somehow get on here 🙂

So. My birthday was last week. My Aunt and Uncle call my Mom and Dad every year to hear what the wish list is. I have been talking about a Kitchenaid blender on the Macy’s website for the past few months. Luckily my Mom remembered and a wonderful Macy’s gift card appeared in my mailbox. Thank you to my Aunt and Uncle! I didn’t waste a second and ordered my new favorite kitchen appliance:) A Pear colored Kitchenaid Blender!

I then collect the ingredients for the long-awaited GREEN MONSTER. I have been waiting months to make one!

spinach 2-2.5 cups

almond milk 1 cup

chia seeds 1 teaspoon

banana

ice

Place everything in the blender and let it rip!

Looks gross. Tastes great.

A few photos from the weekend:

Trying really hard not to be this guy!

Yes. It’s Ebenezer Scrooge!

Loook it’s Tiny Tim.

Amazing costumes 🙂 Maybe I’ll be a costume designer someday.

What a great show! The Christmas Carol was at the Shuburt Theater in New Haven, CT.

Jo Anne and I – We had nose bleed sits, but once the lights were down, we made them into better seats.. LOL